The upsetting trial over the killing of gay teen Larry King, who was shot point blank in the back of the head in computer lab class by fellow student Brandon McInerney, has resulted in a mistrial. The jury voted seven to five in favor of finding McInerney guilty of voluntary manslaughter, not first- or second-degree murder, which meant that seven jurors sided with the defense's version of events: that King brought his death upon himself by acting and dressing effeminately and making sexual overtures (apparently the breaking point came when he asked his tormentor, "What's up, baby?") towards McInerney.

Fifteen year-old Larry King (no relation to the CNN interviewer) was shot twice in the back of the…
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The LA Times' Catherine Saillant, author of this piece that helped to lay out the finer points of the defense's case for readers, now writes that "as the weeks of testimony continued and a more nuanced portrait emerged of what was happening at E.O. Green Junior High before the shooting, it also raised a host of thorny questions." Yes. Very nuanced. Very, very thorny. How dare this kid stand up for himself? His was to cower in a corner and take his physical abuse and humiliations in stride. But he didn't. And so now he's in a position to never make anyone slightly uncomfortable again. So very thorny, this territory.

Prosecutors now have to decide whether to re-file murder and hate crime charges against McInerney, who is now 17. He was tried as an adult. [CBSnews.com, screengrab via KCAL]